Streetside Symmetry

I went to San Diego in early morning, camera on my car seat, as dawn

broke. This was the first photo of my trip. Your comments and

critiques are invited and most welcome. If you rate harshly or very

critically, please submit a helpful and constructive comment/please

share your superior photographic knowledge to help improve my

photography. Thanks! Enjoy! John

This photo is bound to end up in my Presentation on the subject 'Threes' as used in my photography. Although not updated for a while, a large number of photos seem to fill the bill; 'threes' is a common theme in my photography -- e.g., the number defines the points of the dynamic figure -- the triangle and otherwise lends a sort of dynamism to some photos, and symmetry to others. In many cases, it's just enough to be more than a pair and to count as 'many' but not to many to be confusing . . . is that clear?

 

In any case, it's a recurring theme and I have a Presentation on that theme.

 

John (Crosley)

I like the zig zag of eye direction in this shot, plus the symmetry and the strong verticals...maybe less crop to contain 4 full vertical tripes (I would have been interested to see the effect on the image)....a very interesting street shot John..regards, Laurent.

Laurent,

 

I literally 'saw this coming' -- the two black and white photographs and the guy in black and white coming down the sidewalk and waited, and saw my chance, as I waited in a rented vehicle on a street with little traffic, lens pointed out a window. So when he went by, I fired.

 

There was a telephone/light pole to the right, so little chance to do any less or different cropping than I did here; it had to be this or nothing or just ruin the composition, sorry to say, or back up the rental vehicle in traffic and risk getting a ticket in a strange town. I think I did the best I could under the circumstances, and another circumstance like this wouldn't present itself for quite some time; it was a rare admixture of circumstance that brought me to that time and place. It HAD to be desaturated, of course, as the rare 'color' element was the guy's skin and that detracted. It always was a B&W photo, especially in early morning when taken.

 

It's a strange photo, but hey, I just see 'em and take 'em; I don't plan them. If they're there, and I see 'em, I take 'em, and worry later whether they fit into any concept or scheme of mine or will 'crop' right.

 

I agree it's unusual; it's kind of an orphan, and they'll never be another like it, but it's my child and I kind of like it.

 

Like all those children in Garrison Keillor's 'Lake Woebegone', it's 'better than average' I think, just no stunner, but it's mine.

 

John (Crosley)

 

 

not too much worry from me on croping, just a proposal...I like it "as is" anyway, mostly because of this eye direction zig zag from the 3 "characters".

And therein lies a lesson of sorts: Any photo that has enough 'gas' to engage the viewer's eye to make the traverse from, say, upper left, to lower middle to upper right, or any other way, probably has enough to 'say' as a photo that it is somehow 'worthy' as a photo, rather than just as a snapshot.

 

That is to say, it 'engages' the eye, and this is an example of that. Whether one likes or dislikes the subject, or just feels lukewarm about it at all, it's a photo that 'engages'.

 

It has several 'themes' also:

 

1. Black and white, which pervades, even before I desaturated it; the photos were B&W and the guy's 'dress' was desaturated.

 

2. The opposition of the photos was a natural and I timed his positioning to make for symmetry.

 

3. In a way, the windows also make for another set of 'threes' that may have gone unnoticed; notice his relationship also to the windows.

 

4. (In this photo, the men win *numerically anyway* over the woman -- just by sheer numbers) Women always win in the end.

 

5. There is an active - passive component, which doesn't bear much explaining.

 

and whatever else you may see, that I haven't commented on.

 

For what it's worth.

 

Your comment helped me look at my own photo; for that alone I thank you, as well as the respect you show me by commenting at all.

 

John (Crosley)

John thanks for the interesting dissection of your image...as a regular visitor of your gallery I appreciate (and learn from) your street shot as well as from your detailed comments.

I had a hiatus, after an auto collision, and recused myself from these pages (wasn't my fault either -- some uninsured, unlicensed, drug rehab guy rear-ended me while I was in a protected lane on a highway, causing inestimable damage to my car AND me, for which I am paying a huge price).

 

And I'm going to be paying a price for some time to come, I can tell, but I find that Photo.net is great therapy, and even a half hour with a camera is great therapy, even when I can hardly hold it, no matter how bad the pain -- yes I get great pleasure -- actual endorphins I believe -- from creating a photograph that meets my definition of success.

 

This is one of those, despite those low ratings, which I mostly ignore. It's one I'm proud of, ratings or not; I'll just have to educate the viewers better, and show them how it fits into my 'folder' better as part of a theme.

 

And of course, there'll never be another one like it, ever. I almost never repeat myself (though I did take something in Paris similar to something from two years ago, and went looking for the same background to see if I could create another popular photo and I think I succeeded).

 

Although I could only get out a little, it's better to be cooped up in Paris than in one's bedroom, and go to Monoprix supermarche for a little tartelette framboise (raspberry tarte) than to Safeway for a box of cookies or some such. That's my view. A change of scenery if hurting and disabled is helpful to recovery, provided one can get around even minimally - it keeps depression from setting in and ruining one's life too much.

 

And I'm hugely glad that my commentary is something that you read; it's meant for people to read and not just a personal aggrandizement.

 

When I came to Photo.net no one (NO ONE) wrote about the process of making photographs. NO ONE. In fact, almost no one still does.

 

Why, on a photo sharing site with so many great photographs is there such silence, although language problems surely have their place?

 

I'm not sure, though international issues, translation issues and most of all inability to communicate (except visually) may be at the heart of it, or simply failure to understand the sharing nature of this medium we all have together.

 

One fine photographer I saw in a remark to others once took a swipe at my 'wordiness'. I didn't mind. I think he's a fan now and may read these remarks himself. He's a great photographer anyway, and for every great photographer who doesn't need the process explained because 'he knows how' inchoately' or from practice, there's another 100 Laurents who don't, and these meanderings are written for guys like you and for my other acquaintances (and even those who read and never write) who have angst about their photography (and certainly few have more angst than the street photographer I dare say.

 

For I get comments all the time that say 'I'd like to be a 'street photographer' but I'm afraid to point my lens at anyone.' These remarks and comments are meant for those people, and if not to screw their courage up at least to show them it's possible, even from a kind of sometimes timid guy like me who is willing now and then to take chances (and yes I often hide behind a huge tele, or I use such a wide angle lens people cannot possibly imagine they're being photographed since they're so far to the edge of the frame.)

 

Or I just move my lens around, and while moving, snap that important photo, and then keep pointing it somewhere else and no one is the wiser. (Though if I get a good one, I'll often call the person over, wiggling my index finger to call them over, and to show them if they appear receptive and I almost always get a hugely warm reception. (occasionally not, but almost always quite warm, and then again,, some people are just hams and WANT to be photographed and will go about their business with a lens pointed at them and be wonderful subjects with no prodding (In Paris, one should ask, and then wait patiently, and often one will get the answer 'only for you and only because you asked', at least from photo weary shopkeepers. Fast moving subjects are catch as catch can and no one can ask them anything and the same goes for that person with the fleeting moment or expression. You just can't ask or they change their expression from a dour look to a great big 'cheese' smile or turn their head away - every frame is different.

 

That's why I write these things.

 

For you, Laurent (and the 100s of other Laurents who don't write me little comments).

 

John (Crosley)

points read and understood John...like you I think there is not enough words in PN, people should talk more...wish I had more time myself for discussion...thanks for sharing your views on street photo...as a beginner I appreciate advices and comments fully.

This photo opportunity was spied as I drove up a street in San Diego. I drove around the block to get a better look, and went into a turn lane.

 

Just then I saw this man walking toward the scene, pulled out my camera with 70~200 f 2.8 V.R. lens attached and preset for early morning lighting conditions, aimed, engaged auto focus, framed the shot and fired.

 

He continued walking, unaware his step had been immortalized, and I then drove on, after a quick peek (chimp) at my digital screen.

 

I almost forgot about this capture until I downloaded, but always knew it would be a B&W photo, and never thought of preserving it as a 'color' photo (though I have the color file, as I never change or alter the original files).

 

The whole photographic process of stopping, seeing the guy, aiming, firing, and chimping took less than a minute and 15 seconds at most. Probably 45 seconds, if truth be told. It's not hard of you're already prepared, lens on camera, settings already made (ISO sensitivity set, proper lens on camera for circumstance -- or more than one camera, as I had at the time -- the ability to be nimble in traffic so one doesn't cause wrecks behind one's vehicle (the ability to hit the 'flasher' button, pull aside and not cause anyone any consternation or hindrance, and so on)

 

With practice, it's almost effortless.

 

It's almost like sitting in an armchair and taking photos.

 

John (Crosley)

Once again you demonstrate that you have an "eye".

I'm trying to learn from you, but in one thing you are lucky: in my surroundings I have to fight to get rid of cars in my street pictures. There are always cars everywhere and this is very, very annoying thing. And makes it very difficult to shoot from inside a car.

 

Best,

 

Luca

Cars almost certainly would have been a problem here, except it was 5:30 a.m.

 

Yes, I had driven all night, it was first light in morning, and this guy was apparently walking to work somewhere that he had to be at very early in the morning.

 

So, if cars are a problem, just stay up overnight.

 

I recall, even in Barcelona near the downtown area where I last stayed it was overwhelmed by cars (except at 5:30 a.m. when everything was quiet).

 

It must be that way nearly everywhere, except possibly Bangkok, which is overrun with autos all the time.

 

;~)

 

John (Crosley)

The cars I was referring to are those which in Roma are parked day and night at the road side. They are there everywhere and there are always piles of them in the way.

Luca

I haven't been to Rome since the days of 'La Dole Vita' which I saw on the silver screen, and then actually went to Rome.

 

it's on my list of places to visit, but on the 'off' season, when the Fountain of Trevi and other delights are surrounded by wind whipping off the sea.

 

When I was there, it was in a February, and it was shirt-sleeve weather, but I had drank the water on a train (silly me) and I as soooo sick, the doctor had to be called. Bad memories, for which I long blamed the little restaurant that had nothing to do with it.

 

Nothing was wrong with their cucina, but everything was wrong with my judgment -- being young, callow, and on my honeymoon.

 

It was five awful days . . . and my unafflicted yount wife, who was rather pretty, kept getting pinched by the 'appreciative' Italian men. 'Ouch!' 'Ouch!', 'Ouch!) she'd complain. But I think she reveled in the attention, really, and told the story for years afterward.

 

Do any Italian men still 'pinch' a womnan's butt as a sign of appreciation? Or is it a minor sexual assault, which it is in the USA?

 

John(Crosley)

It surely has changed since the "Dolce Vita". I like my hometown, the centre of it, I could walk around forever. There are still many places I need to photograph. I drive and walk around with my eyes open and get back sometime.

 

And my fight to get cars out of the pictures goes on.

 

I'm not aware of pinching going on these days, but maybe I should ask my wife. It would be considered as a sexual assault, I'm afraid.

 

Best,

 

Luca

The essence of 'street' photograpy is to include your surroundings, and if they include autos, so be it, include the autos. Surely there must be angry gestures between and among motorists such as shouts through open windows, raised fists, etc., -- in Barcelona I photographed two taxi drivers who fought for a coveted parking space and their loud argument went on for about 15 minutes -- the neighbors downtown said such occurrences were not rare with hot Latin (Spanish) blood. Anything similar in your direction?

 

Juxtapositions among cars, trucks, scooters through size, passengers, etc. and even traffic cops?

 

Parking akimbo on the streets - patterns of cars over curbs, in every available space -- even where they shouldn't be -- drivers faces in rear-views exhibiting angry demeanors.

 

Cars don't have to be a bane; if you're shooting 'street' you shoot wht's on them and that incluedes cars/buses/etc.

 

See my photo of three Thai guys looking at their taxi while they sit on a 'sawhorse' trying to figure out what to do, but none of them doing anything . . . for a comment on 'work -- it's for tomorrow'.

 

There are things you can do; but your imagination has to be fertile.

 

Best wishes,

 

John (Crosley)